 Siraj Wahab is an editor for the Saudi Arabia-based Arab News. He filed this piece from Mina, Saudi Arabia, for CNN.com, on Monday, March 5. |
Eyewitnesses: Mound of belongings blocked path, led to crushing deaths
MINA, Saudi Arabia -- Thirty-five pilgrims lost their lives while carrying out the ritual of the Stoning of the Great Satan here on Monday morning. The tragedy struck when a stampede occurred on the Jamarat Bridge at Mina.
Brig. Gen. Saad bin Abdullah Al-Tuwaijer of the Civil Defense stated that 23 women and 12 men of various nationalities were crushed to death as a huge crowd rushed toward one of three giant pillars representing the devil.
According to eyewitnesses at the scene, some pilgrims came directly from Muzdalifa with all their belongings and, despite instructions to the contrary, began piling their bags and bundles on the bridge. As thousands of pilgrims surged forward in the morning rush, this mound of belongings blocked them. Pushing and shoving quickly began. Pilgrims reclining against the bundles facing the Jamarat were unaware of the advancing crowd. Jostled and overwhelmed by the oncoming mass of humanity they began to fall and were trampled. The injured began crying out and panic took over. Women were screaming, and rumors spread that there had been an explosion. This caused the pilgrims to run in all directions, compounding the confusion.
Authorities were unable to move forward to the scene immediately due to the huge rush of humanity coming towards them in retreat. The bridge became a disaster area in minutes. Police blocked the bridge and cleared the crowds, allowing medical teams to reach the victims. But it was too late for many. The injured were removed to area hospitals.
Stoning ritual has been site of previous stampedes
The Stoning of the Satans has long been a source of anxiety for Saudi authorities. In 1998, at least 118 pilgrims died and more than 180 were injured in a stampede on the third day of the stoning ritual at Mina. National Hajj committees have been urged to educate each yearŐs pilgrims on proper rules for the stoning ritual, but, in their haste and excitement to complete their Hajj, many pilgrims ignore the instructions.
As dusk fell, many pilgrims were returning to the Jamarat drawn by a mixture of curiosity and horror. With two more days of the stoning ritual still ahead, security officials have promised that every possible officer will be brought to the area to ensure that the rest of the Hajj proceeds without further loss of life.
After the stampede, pilgrims from South Asia expressed their opinion that pilgrims from other nations, especially those from Nigeria and some African nations, were not educated in the necessity of moving with caution. They felt that some of these physically larger pilgrims rammed their way through the crowds causing injury to smaller, frailer individuals. They called on the Organization of Islamic Conference to ensure that relevant Islamic bodies in all nations educated pilgrims in the etiquette required during the Hajj rituals.
The scene in Mina today was one of chaos as pilgrims separated from their groups in the morning stampede searched for their camps. Many pilgrims could be seen showing their ID cards and bracelets to passers-by in a desperate attempt to locate their tents. The majority of the pilgrims speak little English or Arabic, and the authorities are going all out in attempting to return displaced pilgrims to their guides.
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